1. Technical Field
The present disclosure is directed to surface ornamentation of concrete structures and, more particularly, to a reusable compliant tool and method of applying designs into unfinished concrete.
2. Description of the Related Art
Forming surface ornamentation in concrete is both a skill and an art form that requires proper tools and an appreciation for artistic expression. Numerous methods and tools have been developed to aid in forming a design in base materials like concrete, patios, walkways, and the like.
For example, one approach has been the use of paper stencils to provide guidelines for the worker to use a tool in forming the impression in the concrete. The disadvantage of this approach is that the paper can only be used once, is difficult to work with in the wind, and can sometimes leave artifacts in the concrete. In addition, this approach is limited to relatively small-scale impressions. Larger impressions require using multiple copies of the paper stencil, resulting in increased costs in labor and time, and a low quality in the final product. Hence, paper-based impression patterns are disfavored.
Concrete stamping with tools is a labor-intensive process that involves using a stamp pad having a working face with a desired impression to be transferred into the concrete. This can include three-dimensional textures as well as two-dimensional graphic designs. Such tools usually require multiple stamp pads to avoid repeated duplication of the pattern, unless such duplication is desired. In addition, before the tool can be laid down, the stamp pad must be treated with a release agent so that it is easily removable from the concrete after the impression is formed. Thus, after the release agent is applied, the stamp pad is laid down and pounded into the concrete, and then the concrete finisher must attempt to place the next stamp pad adjacent the first stamp pad to have a pattern in the correct format. The stamping process is then repeated.
Tools used in this regard are illustrated and described in a number of prior patents, which are summarized below.
Moorhead (U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,711) describes a concrete or paving forming apparatus and process that includes allowing a concrete or paving material to cure into a substantially plastic condition and then imprinting it with a pattern impressed therein in a continuous process. A plastic film or other suitable release agent permits the forming apparatus to be driven into the concrete in a manner whereby it will not remove the surface of the concrete when it is withdrawn.
The apparatus generally includes a roller with a series of patterns formed by means of blades that conform to the pattern that is to be pressed into the concrete. The roller effectively rolls in the pattern while at the same time a sheet of plastic film is laid down on the concrete ahead of the roller. Thus, as the roller is impressed into the concrete and removed, it will not gouge the concrete. Other release agents such as the silicones or the tetrafluorethylenes can be sprayed on the roller blades or on the concrete to prevent binding and gouging of the pavement.
Moorhead does not indicate what material is used to construct the roller other than it is a “non-deformable material.” Moorhead does indicate a release agent such as a spray or a plastic sheet be laid down between the roller and the concrete to act as a buffer, implying that it did not occur to Moorhead to make a molded polyurea or polyurethane concrete stamp.
Bowman (U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,354) describes a squirrel-cage like pattern forming roller for uncured concrete surfaces. A worker ballasted, propelled, and guided roller cage for imprinting predetermined surface patterns upon a slab of freshly cast, smoothed, yet still plastic concrete is illustrated and described. The wheel includes a generally cylindrical frame that is large enough to accommodate a worker in a walking position there within. The frame supports a plurality of rigid blades carried about the outside thereof, the blades configured to provide the patterns desired. A walkway is provided on the inside of the frame for the worker, and the frame may also be gripped by the worker as a handle, if desired. The weight of the worker is combined with the weight of the wheel to aid in driving the blades into the surface of the slab to a predetermined depth. The walkway enables the worker, by a walking movement in a forward direction, to propel the wheel over a path of the slab directed by the worker thereby forming the predetermined surface pattern therein. A plurality of tools of the same diameter may be peripherally linked together to increase simultaneous pattern imprinting width so that the combination of peripherally linked tools will span the width of larger slabs being poured.
Bowman states that the grid pattern on the cylindrical wheel can be formed of “rigid metallic or hard plastic material,” including a “very hard elastomeric material, such as a hard rubber, having a durometer hardness of, e.g., 100.”
Fresquez (U.S. Pat. No. 4,131,406) describes tools for making impressions in hardenable materials. More specifically, a tool is provided that incorporates a plurality of penetrating blades arranged in a stamping plane. The blades are secured to a platform grid. The blades parallel an edge of the platform to form a closed end of the tool. The blades taper from the platform attached portion to a penetrating tip to thereby form a tapering transverse profile. Blades terminating opposite the closed end of the tool include a mating blade face having a longitudinal profile complimentary to the transverse profile so that when the tool is positioned against other similar tools in making impressions, the closed end-to-open end interface is made without gaps or voids, thereby eliminating hand work in the finishing operation.
Puccini et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,840) provides tools for imprinting non-repeating stone patterns in fresh concrete. The tool has a plurality of blades forming a non-repeating stone pattern. The perimeter of all interior stone patterns is closed or defined, while all exterior patterns are open and only partially defined. The open blade ends of the open patterns are equally spaced about the perimeter of the tool, so that it will align with an adjacent open blade end of a second tool or an imprint and complete a stone pattern in any position and create a non-repeating design. The tool may also be used to create a random repeating pattern by successive non-rotational alignment of all open blade end of any particular side.
Roming (U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,677) describes a process and apparatus for forming concrete. A lightweight embossing tool is shown and described that provides for patterning an impressionable surface material, for example freshly poured concrete. It includes a one-man rectangular weight-supporting platform having essentially flat top, bottom and side portions, a centrally located opening formed on the top surface of the platform adapted to receive a shaft, the bottom surface of the platform having rigidly connected thereto a plurality of blades arranged within the perimeter of the platform bottom in a predetermined pattern. The design of the tool is such that the weight of a man standing on both feet on the platform and straddling the centrally located opening is substantially evenly distributed along the blades. Roming teaches that the tool should be formed of “any durable cast aluminum allow.”
Hendricks et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,426) shows a device for manually, repetitively imprinting a surface pattern in fresh concrete. The device is described to include a plurality of blades secured together to form an imprinting unit, with lower edges thereof to form the desired pattern when pressed into the leveled surface of fresh concrete. A bar handle is secured transversely to upper portions of the blades to extend laterally beyond the perimeter of the imprinting unit to facilitate manual operation of the device; and a leveling device is secured to and cooperates with the handle to vertically position the blades of the device with respect to the surface to be imprinted. Hendricks et al. describe the blades as “preferably made of metal such as aluminum.”
Usow (U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,867) describes a rigid concrete stamping tool with flat handles. More specifically, the concrete stamping tool has a lower blade assembly molded to a substantially flat upper assembly having flat handles on an upper surface thereof. A handle mount is provided in the center of the tool, and an array of holes allows ganging of a plurality of such tools in either the vertical or horizontal direction. The device or tool is described as “rigid” and made of “high impact plastic.”
Oliver et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,511) is directed to a grid and method for producing a pattern on a surface. The grid includes elongated members connected together at intersections and extending about a plurality of open areas to form a mesh-like structure. Connecting members are connected to the elongated members at the intersections. The connecting members extend outwardly from at least one said elongated member. The connecting members have a thickness less than the thickness of the elongated members. The bottoms of the connecting members and bottoms of the elongated members are flush. The grid is placed on a surface and a liquid coating is spread over the surface in the open areas between the elongated members. The liquid coating is allowed to set. Preferably there is a removable coating on the grid which is removed after the liquid coating is set.
Oliver et al. describe the grid as being constructed from concrete with a polymer additive.
Johns (U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,505) describes a surface panel and associated ICF system for creating decorative and utilitarian surfaces on concrete structures. More specifically, the surface panel is designed to allow motif surfaces of brick, stone, tile or siding to be applied to the exterior and interior of concrete structures. The surface panel can be used with other surface panels, or alternatively, as a component of an insulating concrete form (ICF) system. When used with an ICF system, the exterior surface of a concrete structure has a motif surface of brick, stone, tile or siding, while the interior of the structure has an insulating polystyrene surface. Johns states that the panel is made from light weight and durable polystyrene, a rigid material. Alternative materials include plywood.
Puccini (Des. 272,037) shows a tool for imprinting fish scale patterns in fresh concrete. The pattern shown is a curved array, but the grid pattern appears to be made of rigid material.